PEOPLE MUST CARRY BALL IN AIRING DISSATISFACTION

Now that Ross Perot has taken himself out of a presidential race he never really put himself into, some questions linger: What did it all mean? What does it still mean? The Texas billionaire embodied a unique political phenomenon in this nation, one stoked by a desire for action where no action had been apparent. While it remains to be seen what effect his withdrawal will have on this evolving movement, removing the man could fortify the frame of mind that sent Perot to such a lofty place.

The Democratic presidential nominee, Bill Clinton, must have viewed the Perot sensation with some mixture of envy and astonishment. While Clinton spent months making a coast-to-coast pleading for name recognition, seeking respect for his programs, Perot took a less cumbersome route, neither committing himself to the race nor offering to define his agenda. One magazine described Perot's primary asset as "awesome spin literacy," and the description seems apt. The Texan, perhaps because his notions of governance were so ill-formed or unrevealed, was able to be what his supporters wanted him to be.

What they wanted him to be primarily was someone other than the sort now running things in Washington. Fed up with reneged "read-my-lips" pledges, congressional check bouncing and the general distrust forged between elected officials and everyone else in the nation, some people saw in Perot an opportunity to redefine government on terms they found more agreeable. Without a face to hinge their hopes on, these Americans might meekly adjourn into a general mood of dissatisfaction. On the other hand, the inertia of this movement, absent any individual to possibly sidetrack its mission, could still propel it as an intimidating force. Time will tell.

The unhappiness that led to Perot's ascent in popularity has not dissolved. And what Perot's supporters must do to be a positive force now is not advance a fruitless effort to get the billionaire to reconsider, but instead make their own voices heard. The cry that "business as usual won't do" will get a good hearing this year. People should weigh the campaigns of George Bush and Bill Clinton against an elevated standard for government. Americans deserve second-rate public officials only if they accept them. "None of the above" was never a good option. The effort and sentiment that went into the creation of the Ross Perot phenomenon can mean something, can effect change, can better America. Perot won't carry the ball. The people have to.